What Kind of Kids Program Should You Start? (Episode 11)
Episode 11 · May 11, 2026 · Solo episode
Choose a kids program to start by four tests: how long families stay, how hard it is to train someone else to teach it, what materials and inventory cost you, and how crowded your local market is. Then prove it at one site, set your safety foundation, build systems early, find peers and mentors, price with confidence, and make yourself easy to find.
Listen or watch: Spotify · YouTube · Apple Podcasts
This is my written companion to Episode 11 of The Youth Enrichment Leader, "Kids Enrichment Business: What I'd Do in 2026." Half the owners I had talked to at that point were in their first three years. I founded Journey to STEAM in 2023 and it now runs programs at 75+ school sites. If I were starting again today, this is the order I would work in.
What type of kids enrichment program should I start?
Start the program that passes four tests. Weigh them before you fall in love with a topic.
| Test | Ask yourself |
|---|---|
| Stickiness | Do families stay for years, like music, martial arts, swim, gymnastics and dance? Or do they sample and move on, like many STEM workshops, art workshops and seasonal camps? |
| Training | How hard is it to teach someone else to teach this at my level? |
| Materials | What do supplies cost per program, how much space do they take, and who counts and restocks them? |
| Saturation | Is my community already well served in this category? |
I run a STEM company, so I know the materials test from the inside. Some of our LEGO builds need exact counts of specific pieces. Someone has to open every kit and confirm there are 15 of this piece, 20 of that one and 12 of another, then source what is missing. That person gets paid. A robotics class also can't be taught from a lesson plan skimmed five minutes before the bell, and the room needs Wi-Fi, outlets and a charging plan. Would I choose STEM again? Yes, with my eyes open.
How do I know if my local market is already crowded?
Search what is offered near you, then look at where demand is heading. I entered a category my region was already serving well. My difference is quality and rigor, yet a parent shopping for a summer STEM camp may see two listings as the same thing. The more providers look alike, the more families compare on price alone, and that is a race nobody wins.
So look for white space. Around me, adults have fallen hard for pickleball, and I keep looking for kids pickleball. I don't have the expertise. Someone does. Two cautions: an open franchise territory does not mean the market is unserved, and a school or city may offer something similar at no cost.
How do I validate demand before adding sites?
Start with one site, prove the program, and let results pull you to the next one. Track data from day one, even in a spreadsheet:
- Enrollment against your minimum and your cap
- Program topic and level
- Age range
- Day, time and season
- Venue type: school, parks and recreation, studio
After a few terms you can describe your best site and go find more like it. If a class gets cancelled every time you offer it, the market is telling you something. Demand that pulls you somewhere is worth ten times the demand you had to push your way into.
What foundation do I need before I grow?
Safety, systems and people, in that order. Know which background checks, training, insurance, waivers and incident steps you need. If a child gets a cut at your soccer class, is a first aid kit with you? Requirements differ by state and by partner, so ask your insurer and each school. I don't want to grow chaos.
Build systems before you need them, even if your inventory is six chess boards in a garage. Episode 7 covers the six I use.
Then find your people early. SCORE offers free mentoring from volunteer business professionals and is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (score.org/about-score). This month, meet one other kids program owner near you. If sharing feels risky, pick someone in a different activity. I started this podcast because I had no such community.
How should I price a new kids program?
Run cost-per-session math and resist pricing low because you are new. Count instructor pay, materials, overhead like insurance, and the margin you need. The number should feel a little uncomfortable when you say it.
A made-up example, using the class from my pricing guide. Ten weeks, one hour a week. Instructor: 10 sessions x 1.5 paid hours x $32 = $480. Materials: $8 per child. At a minimum of 6 kids and $240 each, 6 x $240 = $1,440, minus $480 and $48, leaves $912 before overhead. Price it at $120 because you are nervous and the same class leaves $720 - $528 = $192. Fixing it later means a 100% increase, and families compare you to your old price.
When a price meets resistance, it is usually a value message that missed. Early on a parent told me at pickup she thought our class was a LEGO play hour. That was my communication to fix. Small groups are part of the value too. We cap at 12 to 14 kids per instructor and say so.
How do families and schools find a brand-new program?
Be findable before you are fancy. You need a simple website, a visible email and phone number, a Google Business Profile, and two clear invitations: "Want this program at your school?" and "Want to register your child?" A plain page this week beats a perfect one next year. When you are ready to take sign-ups, an enrops registration link can be live in under 5 minutes, and you can share the link anywhere (enrops for new programs).
Who should listen to this episode?
Anyone about to start, and anyone in years one to three. Owners get stuck when they add sites before demand is proven, hire before processes are written, or grow before the price is right. For the full walkthrough, read my guide to starting a kids enrichment business and the first 90 days of an after-school program.
Listen or watch: Spotify · YouTube · Apple Podcasts
Frequently asked questions
Should I worry about another provider copying my idea?
No. What you offer is already public.
Can I still start a STEM program in a crowded area?
Yes. Budget for materials, inventory time and training from day one, and be able to say in one sentence why yours is worth more.
What if my price is too expensive for some families?
Then it is too expensive for those families. If the class meets its minimum and its margin, it is priced right. Scholarships and payment plans widen access without underpricing everyone.
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Arielle Hammond, Ed.D. is the founder of enrops and host of The Youth Enrichment Leader, presented by enrops.
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